This invention relates to motor vehicle fuel systems and more particularly to a device for mounting a plastic fuel tank on a body or frame of an automotive vehicle.
Previously, fuel tanks and particularly metal fuel tanks, have been mounted on an automotive body or frame by metal bands or straps underlying and received in recesses or grooves in the bottom wall of the tank and attached at their ends to the overlying vehicle body by fasteners such as bolts or by brackets fixed to the tank and attached by bolts to the vehicle body. Typically, the fuel tank, metal bands and bolts are supplied as separate parts to the automobile manufacturer which must be assembled and mounted to the vehicle in a labor intensive, time consuming and expensive manner. To acoustically decouple the fuel tank from the body, a simple foam or rubber layer is disposed between the bands and the tank or a rubber grommet is disposed between the brackets and the vehicle body.
After being in service, these band and bracket arrangements are usually difficult and time consuming to disconnect for service and/or replacement of the fuel tank and then to reassemble and reinstall after the service is completed or the fuel tank replaced.
In accordance with this invention, a plastic fuel tank is mounted on an automotive vehicle body or frame by couplings fixed to the fuel tank and releasably received on an elongate carrier underlying the fuel tank and attached adjacent its ends to the vehicle body. Preferably, the couplings are formed of a plastic material welded to the plastic tank and releasably attached to the carrier by fingers or nipples projecting and snap-fitting into holes or pockets in the carrier. Preferably, at least two longitudinally spaced-apart couplings are disposed to lie in substantially the same plane when coupled to the carrier and are welded in spaced-apart relation on an adjacent portion of the fuel tank.
Preferably, the carrier generally conforms to and extends longitudinally across the bottom of the tank and in cross-section is channel shaped to enhance its torsional resistance and strength and to receive portions of the coupling therein to enhance the stability of the attachment of the coupling to the carrier.
Objects, features and advantages of this invention are to provide a pre-assembled fuel tank, carrier and releasable couplings to rationalize and simplify attachment of the fuel tank to an automotive vehicle, in service to provide easy removal and reassembly of the carrier components and removal, service and/or replacement of the fuel tank and/or components therein, of relatively simple design, economical manufacture and assembly and in service has a long useful life.